In an operation called “Munkid“, security forces have carried out a series of arrests and investigations in various provinces of Spain, including Jaén, Seville, Málaga, Huelva, Córdoba, Alicante, Santa Cruz de TenerifeAlbacete, Guadalajara, Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Valladolid, Huesca and Zaragoza. Eight people have been arrested and another 32 are being investigated for their alleged involvement in a criminal network that operated in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Granada.
The criminal group, according to the information provided by the Civil Guard, was dedicated to carrying out scams known as the “false son in distress.” It consisted of sending text messages to parents, apparently from their children’s phone number, informing them of urgent financial problems. Scammers took advantage of parents’ concerns to request immediate money transfers.
Total, It is estimated that the group seized 180,000 euros belonging to 44 people in Granada. The criminals managed to convince their victims to open bank accounts and provide them with access codes. These accounts were used to make transfers and, later, they were transferred to the final masterminds of the scams. In addition to the eight people arrested, another 32 are being investigated for collaborating as intermediaries (“mules”) in this process, in exchange for financial compensation.
The operation began when Granada Civil Guard detected a high number of scams that followed the same pattern through text messages. After an exhaustive investigation, the people responsible for recruiting intermediaries were identified and this criminal network was dismantled, which is also being investigated for alleged money laundering.
The authorities have highlighted the importance of citizen collaboration and continuous vigilance to prevent these types of scams and protect vulnerable people against these criminal practices.
